Electric railway signaling system.



PATBNTED NOV. l2, 1907. N. P. FRASER L W. GRIBBEN.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1907.

'2 SHEETS-swzm 1.

No. 370,621.. PATENTED Nov. 12, 1907.

N. P. FRASER @L W. GRIBBEN.

. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SI'GNALING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAY 17. 1907.

- 2 sHBnTs-snmzT 2.

LL LL Lb mib' 2.5

LL LL mi@ mib l rl; $1 d UNITED sTArns Pfrfrnnfr OFFICE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM. u

, No. ordeal.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. i2, 1907.

Application filed May 17. 1907. Serial No. 374,116.

To all @hom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NORMAN Pn'ro FRASER and WILLIAM GniBBEN, citizens of the United States, relsiding at Carsonville, in the county of Sanilac and State oi Michigan, have invented a new and useful Electric Railway Signaling System, of which the following is a specification. l r

This invention relates to electrical railway signaling systems, and has for its principal object to provide a means .whereby trains running in any direction may receive warning when they approach within a danger limit, the apparatus being so constructed that a warning signal will be given whether the trains are approaching.` each other or traveling in the same direction, and

kWithout the necessity of employing pole changers.

A further .object of the invention is to provide a system vof this class by which a warning will be sounded in the cabof an engine approaching a misplaced switch or nienke.

A stilliurther object of the invention is to provide a systemoi this class in Which a station agent or operatorrnay control trains within a certainlirnit of each K side ofthe station for the purposeof sending stopping or warning signals or the like.

A still further object of the invention is to so arrange the system that, when' necessary, telephonie or tele- A invention.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a gen n eral diagram of a signaling system arranged and constructed in accordance ,with the invention. Fig. 2 is a .diagram of the tracks, third rail and batteries. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a form of train controlling device which may be employed.

Similar numerals oi reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. Thetraiic rails 10 and 11 are divided into insulated bl0cks each of' any desired length, a distance of four miles Joeing found most practicable, and each rail, therefore, forms a continuous conductor for the full length ofthe block circuit.

Between the tralic rails is a third rail 12 which may be mounted on the tie's, or other support, in order to be engaged by a traveling shoe vor other Contact on the train, or it may be in the form of an elevated trolley wire. Conductor 12 is divided into sections of suitable length, preferably not less than one mile each, and at the'juncture of each two sections 12 is a battery 15, so that the batteries and wire sections l2 are continuously connected in series.

At a suitable point on each train, as, for instance, in the cab, is an electro-magnet 16, which magnet is connected at one side to a wire l?, leading to a shoe 18 in contact with the conductor l2. The opposite side of the 1n aguet is connected by a Wire 19 to a shoe 20 which engages one or other of the traffic rails' lO-ll, and it is unnecessary to change the location of the shoe 2O when the position of the train is reversed, inasmuch as `the apparatus is operable by engagement o'the Contact shofe with the rail fi() or the rail 1l. I

When two trains traveling toward each other approach within the signaling distance, that is to say, within two miles o1' each other, a circuit is closed from the positive polo oi the battery 15 through conductor l2, contact shoe 1S, wire 17, electro magnet 16 to train A, wire 19, contact shoe 20, to rail l0, thence through wheels and axles of one or both trains to the rail 11, Contact shoe 20 of train B, wire 19, electro magnet 16, wire 17, Contact shoe 18, conductor 12 to the negative pole of the battery, thus. closing the circuit through both electroanagnets.

Ou each of the trains is a sourcc of electrical energy represented in the present instance by storage battery 25. This storage battery is-cnnnected to an electrical 'alarm bell 26 through the Wires 27 ,'28, the wire 27 being connected to the armature 29 of the electro-magnet 1G, and said armature is movable into engagement with a contact point 30 when the electro magnets are energized. The circuit is closed simultaneously through both electro-magnets, so that both bells are sounded at the same time. When the armature moves down it also closes aA circuit through the wires 30 to a motor 31, which motor is connected'to a train controlling device, as, for instance, the air brake or the reversing lever or throttle valve` so that as soon as the signal is sounded the brakes will be set or the train stopped, as desired, thus positively preventing collision in case the engineer pays no attention to the warning signals..

Arranged at each station S is an electrolnagnet 16 connected to an electric bell26 inthe manner previously described, and the magnet circuit is connected to the conductor 12 by awire 34, and to the traflic rail or rails by wire 33, so as to sound a warning in the station when a train is`approaching. At each station there is also a switch 36 by which the circuit may be closed a predetermined number of times in order to send a signal to `a train in accordance with any predetermined code; The system is further applicable to frogs, switches, and the like, and in Fig.` 1 there is shown a portion of a siding 40 including a. guard rail 41.l

passed to proper position. .@One of the .traffic rails 40 at the siding is electrically' connected to one-oi the mainline traffic rails, and the guard rail 41 is connected to one of the sections of the conductor l2 so that in case a car remains on the curved portion of the siding with one ofthe wheel anges in engagement with the guard Arail, Athe guard rail and track will be in electrical connection and where a train approaches on the main line the circuit will be closed throughthe alarm of such train. l. l ,l The inventionA may be further applied to effect closing of' thecircuit at different points, as,V for instance, byian open switch, by the turning of a draw bridge, or byshort circuiting betweenone' of the traflc rails and conductor, the latter closing permitting the sending of a signal to an approaching train by a section boss or other workman.

Inasmuch as the electric circuit of the conductor 12 is continuous to the' end of the road, itis possible in case of al break down or at any other time to connect a telephoneor telegraph instrument by connecting the instrumentbetween the conductor and the ground.

.arranged'opposte 'the-meeting ends of the sections ofv the traffic rails. This will permit oi a four mile signalv ing limit in case two approaching trains arrive at the same time at the opposite ends of one of the four milel sections of traic' rail;

entire series of sources of electrical energy being connected in series, an alarm mechanism on each train, and a! train circuit including contacts, one arranged to engage the sec- Vconductor and one or other ofv the traic rails, a (source of energy .on each train, a lo'cal alarm circuit connected .to

such source of energy, and an armature arranged under the control of the electromagnet and serving to close the local circuit when the magnet is energized. l

3. In an electric railway signaling system, n pair of traic rails, a conductor divided into sections, a battery connecting. each two sections, the entire series of conductor sections and batteries being connected in series, an electro magnet on each train; conducting wires extending from the electro magnet to traveling contacts on the train,A lone Contact arranged to engage the conductor, and the Acludinga guard rail, a sectional conductor parallel with the main-trac rails, batteries connecting each two sections of the conductor, connections between the guard rail and one of the sections of the conductor and between one of the -siding rails -and one of the main rails, and an alarm arranged onA each engine and, disposed in the train -circuit having terminals arranged to engageons with the sectionalcondnctor, and the other with one orother of the traflic rails.

In testimony 'that we claim the foregoing as our own,

we have hereto axed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

NORMAN PETO FRASER. WILLIAM GRIBBEN.

Witnesses WM. J. McCnRnN,

F. C. CnAunY. 

